Civic Holiday Busy at the Border
THUNDER BAY – The Civic Holiday weekend is a busy time. In Thunder Bay there is lots to do, including Festa Italiana which will see about 20,000 people attend the two day Festa. It also appears the rest of the city heads south to Duluth and Minnesota for a dose of Miller Hill Mall, and Mall of the Americas. For many the idea of shopping locally takes a holiday.
The Civic Holiday Weekend is also one of the busiest times at the Pigeon River Point of Entry. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is anticipating higher traffic volumes at the Pigeon River port of entry this upcoming Civic Holiday weekend and would like to remind travellers to plan their border crossing to avoid delays.
In previous years, the Civic Holiday weekend has been the busiest of the year in terms of traffic volume. The CBSA advises travellers to plan their border crossing outside of peak traffic periods if possible.
Peak traffic volumes are anticipated to be between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 4, and between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, August 5, when border wait times may exceed 30 minutes. Higher than normal traffic could also be expected on Friday evening, August 2, and on Saturday morning, August 3.
“Travellers can help speed up their processing by ensuring that they have proper identification for everyone in their vehicle readily available upon arrival at the primary inspection booth and by having receipts for purchases in hand,” says Tracey Gagnon, Pigeon River’s Chief of Operations.
For American Visitors Heading to Canada
The CBSA would also like to remind travellers to declare all firearms or weapons when entering Canada.
If you don’t, CBSA officers may seize the weapons and file criminal charges. Those bearing firearms must prove that they are entitled to possess a firearm in Canada. Most weapons are prohibited from entering Canada, including Tasers, brass knuckles, pepper spray and similar items.
For more information on border wait times, visit http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/bwt-taf/menu-eng.html. You can also visit the CBSA mobile Web site or the Government of Canada Wireless Portal through your Web-enabled mobile device at www.wap.gc.ca or www.gc.ca.
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